Digby Doubtful?

From: The Australian

Brumbies coach tips Huxley to catch Connolly's attention
Wayne Smith
September 15, 2006


WALLABIES coach John Connolly will be on the lookout for hookers and halfbacks when he attends the Australian Provincial Championship match between the Brumbies and Western Force in Canberra tonight, but he might find his attention straying instead to a five-eighth.
That is the prediction of the Brumbies' APC coach Matt O'Connor, who believes the ACT not only boasts the best five-eighth in the country in Steve Larkham but also the second-best - Julian Huxley.

It is not a view shared by new Reds coach Eddie Jones, who advised Huxley that he did not have a future in Queensland. But that was more to do with personality differences than any lack of ability on the part of the man who returned to Canberra to claim the Brumbies' No.10 jersey for tonight's Viking Park match.

"I reckon Julian is the second-best five-eighth in the country and I'd certainly be looking at him for the Wallabies' spring tour," O'Connor said.

"He's got all the skills and played some tremendous football for the Reds this season."

Huxley's Super 14 form did not entirely escape Connolly's attention, with the Wallabies coach awarding him the man of the match award in the Reds' final outing, against the Highlanders in Townsville. But he could find no place for him in the Test squad with Mat Rogers providing outstanding back-up at five-eighth, centre and fullback.

"Over the last two days, that back-up position might have loosened up," said O'Connor, referring to Rogers' decision to return to rugby league after next year's World Cup.

The Force goes into tonight's game on a high after a chance Parliament House meeting with John Howard, who has given his title to a match announced yesterday between the Prime Minister's XV and Japan in Tokyo on November 4.

That buzz might soon be dispelled if IRB under-21 player of the year nominee Digby Ioane is a late withdrawal.

"He is carrying a sore ankle from the Reds match and he's struggling a bit," said Force APC coach John Mulvihill, who nominated Josh Graham as Ioane's replacement on the wing if needed.

Drew Mitchell will not be able to pinch-hit for the Force after he was ruled out of the APC by Connolly. He has been sent for an intensive six-week build-up to the spring tour under Wallabies strength and conditioning coach Jason Weber.